1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus (e.g., multi-function apparatus having scanning and printing functions) capable of enabling a user to select a storage destination to store data, and the control method, program, and storage medium thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, a technique for storing input data in a storage device such as a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or the like has been known. For example, with a multi-function apparatus including a scanner apparatus or printer apparatus, the data scanned and input by the scanner apparatus can be stored in an HDD included in the multi-function apparatus. Also at this time, an arrangement may be made wherein the storage area of the HDD is divided into a plurality of storage areas beforehand, which can be employed as personal boxes by assigning a password to each of users, for example.
Also, in recent years, such a multi-function apparatus has been used by being connected to a network in many cases, whereby the multi-function apparatus can be used by collaborating with a plurality of external apparatuses. In such a case, for example, the data scanned and input by a scanner apparatus included in the multi-function apparatus can also be directly stored in the storage area included in an external apparatus connected thereto via a network.
Now, when selecting a storage destination from a plurality of candidates to store data input via a scanner apparatus of a multi-function apparatus, a user sometimes must take too much time and effort to select the storage destination. A problem sometimes occurs particularly in the case of employing a storage area by dividing it into a plurality of storage areas, in the case of setting a hierarchical structure, or in the case of connecting to a plurality of external apparatuses. In other words, a great number of candidates selectable as a storage destination can cause a user to designate an erroneous storage destination, or to take too much time in searching for a desired storage destination in some cases.
In order to solve such a problem, for example, a scanner apparatus has been known wherein a plurality of information indicating a storage destination are registered beforehand, and when actually selecting a storage destination of data, only the storage destination in a running state is displayed in a selectable manner (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-94444, for example).
Also, a system has been known wherein storage areas (boxes) which were divided for each group to which respective users belong are assigned beforehand, an operating user is authenticated, and the box assigned to the group to which the user belongs is displayed in a selectable manner (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-101194, for example).
However, the above-mentioned existing techniques cause the following problems. For example, even if an arrangement is made wherein a plurality of storage destination information are registered beforehand so as to be displayed, but in the event that there are a great number of selectable storage destinations, there is a possibility that it may still take too much time for a user to find a desired storage destination.
Also, in the event that a screen for displaying selectable storage destination candidates is small, a great number of storage destination candidates may cause a user to take too much time for searching a desired storage destination.
Also, for example, even in the event that a storage destination is registered by being correlated with a certain user beforehand, frequently used storage destinations sometimes differ depending on a date or place wherein the user performs operations. For example, there is a case wherein a certain user frequently designates an external apparatus A as a storage destination on weekdays, but frequently designates an external apparatus B as a storage destination on holidays; with the existing techniques, the fixed storage destination candidate is always displayed, which is not user-friendly.